Hepatic crisis in a ten-year-old Kuwaiti boy with sickle cell disease

ABSTRACT

Hepatic sickle crisis [HSC] is a rare complication of sickle cell disease [SCD] which responds to proper hydration, simple transfusion, or exchange blood transfusion. We describe the case of a ten-year-old boy who presented with severe right upper quadrant abdominal pain, jaundice, and elevated liver enzymes. Abdominal ultrasonography showed only sludge, with no gallstones or abnormal biliary tree. He did not respond to initial management with analgesics and intravenous fluids. There was prompt resolution of symptoms and biochemical derangement following exchange blood transfusion